Fruit-harvester.



PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

M. L. PORTER. FRUIT HARVESTER.

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M. L. PORTER. FRUIT HARVESTBR.

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V NTOR WITNESSES: m/

) W BY i m A I ATTORNEYJ- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN LUTHER PORTER, OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES MONROEGRAHAM, ZACHARIAH FLETCHER WHARTON, AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HOWARD, OFSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

FRUlT-HARVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

A li ati n fil d December 14;, 1903. Serial No. 185,180.

To all whom it may concern;

away in one of the sections or members of Be it known that I MARTINLUTHER PORTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofRedding, in the county of Shasta and State of California, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fruit Gatherers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to fruit-gatherers; and the principal object of thesame is to provide means for catching the fruit as it drops from thetree and running it off by gravity into boxes or crates withoutpermitting the fruit to fall to the ground and become bruised andinjured.

Another object is to provide a flexible apron to be supported upon aframe to be placed under and around a tree to catch the fruit as it isshaken from the tree and run it off into crates or boxes.

Still another object is to provide a device of this character which willbe simple in construction, efiicient in operation,'which can be quicklyplaced in position around the trunk of the tree, and which can beproduced at slight cost.

These and other objects are attained by means of the constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a partialplan View of a fruitgatherer made in accordance with my invention, thecanvas cover being partially broken the gatherer and entirely removedfrom another section of the same in order that, the

framework of the gatherer may be seen, certain parts being shown indotted lines and other parts being removed. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective View of a portion of one of the sections or members of thedevice of slightlymoolified construction. Fig. 3 is a detail sideelevation and partial section of one ofthe sections or members of thedevice in position for use at the trunk of a tree. Fig. 4 is a detailplan View of the adjusting means for one of the braces of the frame.Fig. 5 is a similar view of another part of the framework. Fig. 6 is afragmentary plan view of certain parts of the framework, and Fig. 7 is alike view of still another part of the framework.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description of theinvention, it will be understood that my fruit-gatherer is made up ofseparable sections of identical construction and that, as shown, threesections are utilized, said sections being connected together andsurrounding the trunk of a tree. As these sections are identical inconstruction, only one will be described, it being understood that adescription of one will answer for all.

The framework of each section is made up of a ridgepole A, an adjustablebrace B, outer frame-bars C, a short brace D, and inner frame-bars E.The ridge-pole A extends outward and upward from the tree T and issupported by a leg H at its inner end, said leg being connected to thetwo diverging braces I, said braces being connected at their upper endsto the brace D, as shown in Fig. 2, or to the inner frame-bars E. To thebrace D the end of the ridge-pole A is secured by means of a metalfoot-bracket 00.

The brace B is made of two sections having registering bolt-holes intheir inner ends to form an extension-joint M to permit adjustment ofthe brace. The outer frame-bars C are each connected at one end to theouter end of the ridge-pole A, while their opposite ends are connectedto the inner frame-bars E by means of suitable brackets or straps y, asshown in Fig. l. Secured to the bars E at suitable points are a numberof hooks J, the purpose of which will presently appear. Short legs G aresecured near the opposite ends of the adjustable brace B. A canvas coverF is secured in any suitable manner to the bars E, said cover beingpassed over the ridge-pole A, as shown. Secured to the outer bars C arecanvas troughs L, there being two such troughs for each section of thegatherer. l/Vhen the three sections of the gatherer are placed inposition around the trunk of a fruittree, said sections are connectedtogether at their meeting edges by means of suitablyconstructed canvasdischargetroughs N, which, as shown, each consists of a strip of canvassecured at one edge to one of the framebars E, while the opposite edgeis secured to a wooden bar or strip K, designed to be supported upon thehooks J on the contiguous frame-bar E.

When the gatherer is in place, it will be noticed that the ridge-poles Ain the center of each section hold .the canvas cover up,

while the cover at opposite sidesof the center inclines downward to thedischarge-troughs. When the fruit-tree is shaken, the fruit falls uponthe cover and rolls down the inclined walls to the troughs N or to thetroughs L, and the latter incline toward the former and discharge theircontents into boxes or crates placed at the discharge ends of thetroughs to catch the fruit.

My fruit-gatherer is simple in construction, efficient in operation, canbe quickly assembled in position for use, and can be quickly taken apartand packed within a small space for storage or shipping.

Various changes in the form, proportion,- and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fruit-gatherer made in detachable sections, each section comprisingan inclined ridge-pole, an adjustable brace, outer and inner frame-bars,a canvas cover for each section, flexible troughs surrounding thegatherer, and discharge-troughs detachably connected to one section andfixed to the other section, said troughs being disposed intermediate thesections, substantially as described. I 2. A fruit-gatherer comprisingdetachable sections, covered with canvas and provided with inclinedportions, flexible troughs surrounding the gatherer, anddischarge-troughs intermediate the sections said troughs being securedto one of the sections and detachably secured to the other contiguoussection, all the portions of the gatherer inclining toward the dischargeend of said discharge-trough, substantially as described.

3. In a fruit-gatherer, separable sections covered with canvas, saidsections each comprising a supporting-frame having a central ridge-poleinclined outwardly and upwardly, an adjustable brace-bar, frame-barsconnected to the ridge-pole, hooks connected to one of the innerframe-bars of each section, and discharge-troughs supported by thehooks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 3d day of December, 1903.

MARTIN LUTHER PORTER. Witnesses:

GEORGE O. PERRY, WILLIAM OAMPBEEL.

